starting RPG game: need advise

General Discussions
#1

Hello,

I would like to startup a 2D RPG game but i am not sure from where to start.
I have good experience with the Java Language and did basic Applet-based game: Simple tetris, pong,Sudoku…
I have no 3D graphics experience so my aim is to remain in 2D.
Actually my idea is not even to do a fancy 2D animations but a basic hexagonal maps, with coloured slots…
I am not sure how to startup in my design. Should i try to do the RPG engine from scratch? Most framework i saw are 2D/3D oriented and quite complicated. I want to start simple and increase the complexity over time :slight_smile:
Should start up with the story, main elements, dialogs…?
any advises are welcome.

thanks,

Sebastien

#2

Start with the engine first. After building the engine then you should build some tools for painting maps, adding events and NPCs, and for scripting them. Then you can work on implementing the story using the editor.

You could also have a look at the RPG Maker, I used to use it when I was young and it’s excellent at building simple 2D console RPGs. Might give you a good idea about what editing tools you’ll need (and what you don’t need), as well as how much work will be involved.

#3

thanks for your reply, i was thinking also about this but i am not sure what made up an RPG engine, beside Character, Monster pojos…
not sure what to start with

#4

It really depends greatly on 1) how close will the engine is tailored for the RPG (i.e. a generic RPG engine or is it only for building your RPG) and 2) what sort of RPG you are making (i.e. like dungeons and dragons, Final Fantasy or Legend of Zelda?).

Of the top of my head you ought to think about: map system, effects (fades, tint screens, weather effects, background images, parralax scrolling, etc), battle system, creating indevidual monsters, creating groups of monsters, monster AI, characters, skills/magic (for characters and monsters), items (including weapons, armour, items), equip system (perhaps for monsters too so you can equip armour and swords to them), the UI (how will NPCtext, in game menu’s and options appear) and in-game event scripting (how will you automate NPCs moving around the world, have them talk at appropriate times, etc).

#5

Yeah i was thinking on a 2D RPG like Final Fantasy, with a lot of exploring and talking, turn-based combat.
Thanks for your comments, few of those concepts are on my list, i added now a few more :slight_smile:
Is there any websites with some design ideas, principles, some UML i could refer to?

#6

As I said above, the RPG Maker. It’s the best example I know of on what sort of stuff you’ll need to think about when building 2D console RPGs.